Talons of the Crows
by equinexus
Summary: The talons of the Crows are far reaching.. Can Zevran and his lover Iain finally escape them?


_Author's Note: This is a graduation present for Yay for Yaoi, featuring her M!Tabris and his love, Zevran. Happy Graduation!_

The sun rose slowly over the horizon of Antiva, casting a shining reflection over the waters of the harbor and distant seas. Though the sky slowly lit up in the early morning hours, the ports of Antiva were busy with fisherman actively docking their boats and counting their catch of fish from the night.

Near the coast, in the apartments of the leather district, a slight brush of a noise awakened the blonde Antivan, his golden-brown optics sliding open. Though drowsy, he instantly took notice of an envelope that had been pushed under the door of the room, staring at it for a good amount of time before turning over to embrace the companion in his bed.

There slept a redheaded elf, curled up in the sheets. Without waking, he unknowingly grabbed ahold of Zevran, pulling him close when the Antivan turned over. The blonde elf chuckled as he embraced Tabris, playfully brushing his nose against his.

"There's a message at the door. I'm sure it's for you, my Grey Warden," uttered Zevran, whispering softly to the sleeping elf. When he received no response, he licked the redhead's ear before giving it a good nip. "Iain, up."

"Not yet," murmured the Warden drowsily, cringing somewhat at the bite. "Just a few minutes more."

Chuckling, Zevran pressed his lips to Iain's throat before freeing his body from the redhead's grasp and rolling out of the bed. After a lazy, cat-like stretch, the sandy blonde wandered over to the door, swiping up the envelope and about to make for the balcony when the wax seal on the envelope made him pause. There, engraved into the dried wax, was the shape of a crow.

Stopping in his tracks, Zevran gazed over at Iain cautiously before wandering out onto the open balcony overlooking the sea, prying open the envelope as he did. Unfolding the letter from within, the Antivan raised the yellowed paper to his eyes, reading in silence.

"My dearest Zevran,

how overjoyed was I when I stumbled upon you, alive and well. Such a happy moment you shared with your precious Warden, whom also survived, it seems. This can easily be remedied, however. I expect you to present yourself at the hideout before noon. Fail to do this, and your Warden will suffer for your stubbornness.

Your friend, Leonardo."

Clutching the letter, the Antivan held a sorrowful expression on his face as he looked over his shoulder at the sleeping Iain. To him, the answer was clear.

Briskly moving over to a cabinet, Zevran began to dress, silently strapping on his armor and weaponry with a stern look on his face before shutting it closed once more. Unable to help himself, he wandered back over to the bed, kneeling on it to press a kiss onto Iain's cheek. "My life for yours, and I gladly die for you," he whispered, lingering over the redhead with a pain-filled expression, before shuffling over to the door. With the door's knob in hand, he couldn't help but to steal one last glance at the Warden. "Goodbye, my love," he whispered, before exiting the apartment in a swift movement.

There was a light click from the door that caused Iain to stir, reaching across the sheets. "Zevran?" It took him a moment to realize the Antivan was gone and he sat up, slightly alarmed. It wasn't like Zevran to leave unannounced.

As he idly thought to himself, he noticed a sheet of paper sitting atop the stool next to their cabinet of armors. Climbing out of the bed, he wandered across the room to examine the note, hoping it explained where Zevran had gone. To his horror, it did.

"My life for yours, and I gladly die for you. Goodbye, my love," were the Antivan's last words before he had left, but Iain had been too exhausted to make them out until now.

"Maker," gasped Iain, an overwhelming fear engulfing him. Shadowing the fear, anger began to build, and the thin elf tore the letter in half. "Zevran, you _idiot_!"

**_Antiva, the Crow's Nest…_**

Zevran lifted the hatch in the backroom of an abandoned warehouse, climbing down into the pit before shutting the hatch behind him. Dropping to his feet below, dirt flew up around his leather boots and he gazed about cautiously, seeking out any traps as he wandered towards a door on the other side of the lengthy hallway. Gradually making his way through the empty corridor, torches lit up the underground tunnel, flickering light and creating shadows. Grabbing the round metal latch, he pulled open the large wooden door, stepping into the room just beyond.

There stood a group of Crows, all armed and awaiting his arrival. In the middle stood a smirking human, the one he recognized as Leonardo. He clapped his hands, chuckling at the sight of Zevran, whom glared in return.

"Who would've thought? The great and almighty Zevran giving in to death over love. Unthinkable," laughed Leonardo, obviously delighted by drawing him out so easily.

"Leonardo! How surprised I am to see you a Crow! You were never one to withstand pain, from piggish squeals you used to make," countered Zevran, grinning at the Crow, who angered suddenly.

"Bind him!" shouted Leonardo.

At his order, two Crows approached Zevran, who readily drew his blades. "You should've known I would fight," announced the blonde Antivan, preparing his attack.

"Oh? Make this difficult, and we might not overlook your Warden's presence," said Leonardo with his bushy brow raised, and Zevran's eyes shrunk to slits as he glared, halting his attack. After a moment of hesitation, he let the blades fall from his hands, bowing his head forward.

No longer a threat, the Crows proceeded to knot Zevran's wrists behind his back, pushing him into the dirt before Leonardo's feet. As he struggled to sit upright, Leonardo knelt before him, his knee sinking into the dirt beside the blonde Antivan's head. Slowly, the Crow pressed the tip of his dagger dangerously hard against Zevran's tan flesh, causing the elf to hiss as it drew blood.

"I am going to enjoy this," said Leonardo as Zevran held still, seeing a malevolent glint in the Crow's eye.

"You selfish bastard!" cried a voice, startling all the men in the room as they turned to see the redheaded Warden glaring from the doorframe, his arms folded to his chest. "After all I've done for you!"

Charging the Warden, two of the Crows drew their weapons and leapt at him. Iain angrily pulled free his own blades, taking down two of the Crows with sharp, precise movements as he wandered further into the room. "After rescuing your pitiful hide!" shouted Iain, running up on the next set of Crows, taking them down just as easily as the first two. "And putting up with your inappropriate behavior!"

Stunned, both Leonardo and Zevran stared as the small elf rampaged through the group of Crows, leaving a bloody mess about his feet, his attention remaining on the blonde Antivan.

"Then you go off and play sacrifice? I don't think so!" yelled Iain, pointing a bloodied blade at Leonardo as the corpses lay bleeding around his feet. "I'd lower the blade, were I you, shem," hissed the ginger dangerously.

Intimidated, Leonardo backed away from the bound Zevran. "You're the one who killed Taliesan, aren't you? I dare not take you on alone, Warden."

"Coward! I'll handle you yet," hissed Iain, as he took slow steps towards the bleeding Zevran, kneeling to cut through the ropes holding him prisoner. "And as for you," began the redhead as he sheathed his blades and helped the blonde to his feet, ready to erupt in a flurry of impulsive insults, but was silenced when the former Crow threw his arms about the redhead's body, hugging him tightly.

"_Anche la morte di fronte, tutto quello che ho potuto vedere eri tu_," whispered Zevran. "Even facing death, all I could see was you. "

Iain's temper fizzled at the Antivan's soft words, unable to stay angry with him. "Zevran… " the redhead began, when he noticed Leonardo had disappeared at some point, slipping away through a hidden doorframe behind a bookshelf. "Hey!"

Zevran pulled from the embraced to see what had happened, quickly grabbing Iain by the hand and luring him back out the way they had come. "Quickly, Warden. He will summon others," explained the former Crow as they sprinted down the hallway towards the ladder and hatch. As they began to climb, they heard voices.

"They can't have gotten far!" came Leonardo's furious tone.

"Up you go!" said Zevran as he lifted Iain up and out of the hatch, managing to climb out just as an arrow flew to strike him, missing only by inches. Shutting closed the latch, Zevran took Iain by his hand once again, racing through the warehouse at top speed.

"Where will we go? We cannot stay in Antiva!" said Iain as he and the darker elf sprinted through Antiva's streets, making their way towards an undetermined destination.

"Truly, you have no faith in me!" teased Zevran, grinning back at Iain as he pulled the redheaded Warden along. "I have a plan!"

"There they are!" a voice said from down the stone-paved streets, and Iain glanced to see several Crows lined up with their bows drawn, aiming for them.

"Maker, I hope so!" responded Iain, his eyes wide with fear as they fired off, narrowly missing them by a few yards. Noticing that Zevran led the chase towards the harbor, he was surprised when the Antivan led their run down a port, towards one of the ships. Luckily, the ship was currently leaving the dock, moving away from the shores at a fast pace.

"Ready?" asked Zevran as they closed in, their boots plopping along the planks as they raced alongside the seabound vessel. "Go!"

Tossing the redhead with all his might, Iain was thrown over the railing and onto the dock of the ship, rolling several times and gaining countless splinters from the wood. Not noticing the miniature pricks of blood upon him, he ran back over to the railing, spotting Zevran as he continued to run and prepared his leap. Behind the blonde Antivan, several Crows were in pursuit, some firing arrows and others drawing their blades as they came up on him.

At the last possible moment, Zevran jumped from the last plank of the long dock, grabbing onto the railing of the ship as he dangled dangerously off the side. Iain extended his hand, grabbing hold of the elf's wrists and pulling him onboard as arrows began to decorate the ship's side, fired by the angry Crows back on the edge of the dock.

Collapsing from exhaustion, the two elves fell on the deck, relieved as they fought to catch their breath. Iain stared up at the sky as he took deep breaths, surprised when Zevran rolled atop of him, chuckling brightly.

The redhead smiled at the giddy Antivan, pulling him in for a lengthy kiss as they celebrated the escape together on the vassal.

"Perhaps it's a bit redundant to say this but… Good morning, my love," he said with a grin, bringing laughter from the Warden.


End file.
